


Tre Sjömansflickor

by Aemeth



Category: Motherland: Fort Salem (TV)
Genre: Childhood Memories, Chippewa Cession, F/F, How that braid got into Scylla's hair, Missing Scene, Raylla
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:46:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23699488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aemeth/pseuds/Aemeth
Summary: Before Raelle goes to the wedding Scylla and her share a childhood memory.
Relationships: Raelle Collar/Scylla Ramshorn
Comments: 46
Kudos: 252





	Tre Sjömansflickor

**Author's Note:**

> We all know that braid in Scylla's hair was made by Raelle.

Scylla insisted on escorting her back to her dorm and Raelle accepted with a smile. If Abigail wanted to parade her and Tally around in high society and wouldn't even let her bring her girlfriend, she would at least have to look her in the face.

When they entered Tally and Abigail were already in their dress blues, the Bellweather just finishing tying her scourge to her belt. When she spotted them her face got that particular shade of annoyance that Scylla seemed to bring about exclusively.

“I told you: she can't come, end of story!” Abigail spat. Raelle felt the smile on her lips die and she immediately opened her mouth but Scylla placed a soothing touch on her arm and stepped between them in one sinuous movement.

“Don't worry Abigail,” she smiled sweetly. “I've only come to see Raelle off.”

She turned to smile at Raelle with real feeling and Raelle felt herself smiling back.

Abigail closed her eyes like she couldn't bear their display and slammed her wardrobe shut.

“The car is picking us up in exactly twenty minutes. Will you come or not?”

Raelle hesitated. Going to a wedding without Scylla was the last thing she wanted and Abigail's attitude didn't help. There would be a certain satisfaction in defying her and her almighty mother. But then she caught Tally's pleading doe eyes and felt Scylla's hand close around her arm reassuringly and she sighed.

“Fine. Since you're asking so nicely.”

Abigail halted for a moment, then she nodded briefly.

“Thank you,” she pressed out. “Get dressed and come join us when you're ready. And _don't_ be late, Quartermaine is driving with us too. Come on, Tally.”

She marched out and Tally followed, however not before mouthing a silent 'thank you' to Raelle and giving Scylla an apologetic smile.

Once the door shut Raelle snorted and went to her own closet.

“And they always say rich people have manners,” she said snidely and took out her dress blues.

She swiftly pulled of her regular jacket and then her shirt. Soon she felt heated eyes on her naked skin and turned to her bed where Scylla had sat down, her mesmerizing eyes gliding over her exposed skin appreciatively.

Raelle smiled bashfully and quickly changed into her dress pants. Scylla had seen her dress and undress more times than she could count now, but this was the first time they were in her dorm alone together and for some reason she was highly aware of the fact. She watched Scylla's intelligent eyes wander through the room, taking everything in. They ended on the dream catcher hanging over Raelle's bed and she nudged it gently.

“A dream catcher?” she asked softly and Raelle nodded, fastening her belt.

They hadn't talked much about her upbringing and Abigail had teased her with no reserve when she had fixed it onto the bed, while Tally veiled her disbelief politely. They knew little of the old work, the work of the tribes and Raelle didn't see it as her duty to enlighten them.

“Yeah. Most of us in the Cession have them.”

She watched her closely but Scylla didn't display any signs of skepticism or derision. She tenderly trailed a single finger over the path of the webs, her eyes shining with curiosity.

“Do you get bad dreams?”

Raelle stopped and then swiftly put on her dress shirt.

“Sometimes.”

At that Scylla got to her feet and walked to her.

“Here, let me help you with that.”

She took her dress jacket from the hanger and moved behind Raelle with her lively smile, holding it out for her. Raelle couldn't help but chuckle as she slipped into the sleeves. Scylla remained behind her, pressed close, her arms sneaking around her waist as she buttoned the jacket blindly. Raelle closed her eyes, letting her, enjoying her warmth and her touch.

When the last button was set Scylla reached for her sash and Raelle raised her arms dutifully. The older girl pulled it over her gently. When that was done she stood before her, her hands gliding over fabric, straitening and fussing lovingly. Finally she brought her hands to Raelle's face, her fingers playing with her braids.

“No loose hair for High society?” she asked coyly and Raelle laughed.

“Nope, only for special occasions”, she replied pointedly.

Scylla laughed, pulling at one of her braids gently.

“Well I'm not high society but I happen to like them very much.”

“Yeah?”

Scylla nodded enthusiastically, her eyes remaining on her hair as though it was the most fascinating thing.

“They're so intricate. Who taught you how to do that?”

Raelle fought to keep the smile on her face.

“My mom,” she answered hoarsely. She put her hand on top of the one that Scylla had curled around her hair and held it there gently. She felt her sharp eyes on her face now.

“She started doing it because I would always get so dirty playing with the Chippewa kids. And at some point I started to like it, I guess.”

Scylla intertwined their hands gently and then pulled her face to her so Raelle had to look at her.

“Do one on me.”

Raelle felt her smile widen.

“Really?”

Scylla gave her that lively smile, the one where her whole face lit up and that never failed to make Raelle's stomach flutter.

“Yeah.”

She laughed and pulled Scylla to her bed, sitting her down before settling beside her.

“Okay, but just one. If I'm late Abigail will kill me.”

Gently she took three strands of Scylla's night black hair on the right side of her face and started to braid them with deft movements. All the while she was at work she could feel the other girl's smile on her and her hands on her legs drawing circles.

“You know, my mom also used to braid my hair,” she said suddenly, her voice quiet.

Raelle didn't dare to look up. It was so rare that her girlfriend would open up about her past willingly and this was the second time this day. She didn't want to spook her.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. I didn't like it so much for the hairdos, she wasn't as skilled as you are. But she always sang doing it and I loved to listen.”

Now Raelle had to look up. A wistful expression clouded Scylla's beautiful face and her eyes were far away.

“What did she sing?” Raelle asked carefully. Scylla looked at her with a smile. And then, to Raelle's great shock, she began to sing.

“ _Treskeppjag sågkomseglande. Åhej, å hoj, åhå. I seglen vinden spelade. Åhej, å hoj, åhå_!”

All Raelle could do was sit still and listen in awe, her mouth agape as she listened to Scylla sing the happy, innocent tune in a language she didn't understand, but that deeply moved her, all the while her hands kept gliding over her legs.

“ _Ivarje skepp en flicka satt. Ånej, å nej, å jo! Isjömans blusochs jömans hatt. Åhej, å hej, å ho_...”

Scylla ended with a gentle but somber smile, her gaze lowered and her hands on Raelle's thighs stilling.

Raelle for her part still sat there with her hands woven in Scylla's hair, frozen in movement.

“That was beautiful,” she whispered finally. “What does it say?”

Scylla smiled in answer, still without meeting her eyes, one hand resuming the invisible drawings on her thigh.

“I saw three ships come sailing; in the sails, the wind was playing. In every ship, a girl was sat. In sailor dress and sailor hat.” Finally she looked up at her but Raelle could tell the cheer on her face was forced. “I seem to have forgotten the rest of it.”

Not bearing to hear the self-deprecation in her voice Raelle quickly moved to finish the braid in her now damp hands and let it fall back to her hair.

“There. We can look it up and then you can sing the rest for me.“

Scylla jumped up and hurried to the mirror, admiring her new braid with curious eyes. Raelle followed her more slowly and stood behind her, her arms wrapping around her waist.

“You like it?”

“I love it.”

Scylla turned in her arms and pressed a long, gentle kiss to her lips.

Raelle rested her forehead against Scylla's, nudging her nose with hers.

“Did your mom teach you that song on the beach you were talking about?”

She could feel the other girl's surprise more than she saw it.

“Yes. It was a long time ago.”

“What language was that?”

A brief hesitation. Raelle kept her close in her arms, trying to calm her, to let her know it was save to confide in her.

“Swedish,” Scylla finally answered, her voice shaking just the tiniest bit. “I told you. We moved around a lot.”

At that Raelle grasped Scylla's face in her hands and looked at her sincerely.

“When I've put this wedding behind me we will go, okay? We'll stay there as long as you want. Watching the ships.”

Scylla blinked rapidly, before she nodded and kissed her again, before Raelle could sort out the many emotions that had surged into her eyes.

“Okay. You should go... Abigail and Tally are waiting.”

Raelle sighed.

“I really wish you could come with me.”

Scylla bit her lip and grasped her arms.

“You will see me again before you've even noticed that I'm gone.”

“I doubt that.”

Scylla smiled and pulled her to the door. Raelle followed her happily, Scylla's beautiful singing voice still in her head, conjuring images of the sea, the sun, and freedom.

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't help myself. I learned "Tre Sjömansflickor" as a girl in Sweden and fell in love with it. And when Scylla spoke about watching the ships leave for far away lands it just felt right. Here is a beautiful version of the song if anyone wants to hear the melody of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3Ay9ZABMKA  
> I think it makes sense that Scylla would have picked up other languages in her normadic existence and I really hope they do that on the show.
> 
> And remember, comments are love :)


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